Welcome to Ohio!

Via Best of the Web. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=92592545I realize that this article has some strong political overtones.But, in the spirit of this website, I hope we can reach across the aisle to all our Michigan brethren, and remember that the people of Ohio – minus those that decide to don the Maize n’ Blue – tend to be f’d up.Some choice quotes:"Nunez's van broke down last fall. Now, her 19-year-old daughter has no reliable transportation out of their subsidized housing complex in Fostoria, 40 miles south of Toledo, to look for a job."I'm sure that's exactly why she isn't looking for a job."Nunez and most of her siblings and their spouses are unemployed and rely on government assistance and food stamps." In terms of surprise, this ranks up there with revelation that Robert Reynolds violated the NFL substance abuse policy."Low-income families in Ohio say they are particularly hard-hit by the changes in the economy . . . "Remember: it's all Bush's fault."Nunez, 40, has never worked and has no high school degree. She says a car accident 17 years ago left her depressed and disabled, incapable of getting a job."George Herbert Walker Bush."Instead, she and her daughter, Angelica Hernandez, survive on a $637 Social Security check and $102 in food stamps." The photo indicates they survive all too well."People tell Nunez her daughter could get more money in public assistance if she had a child. "A lot of people have told me, 'Why don't your daughter have a kid?'" They both reject that as a plan."Again, the photo indicates that 99.99% of men would reject that plan, too.

Comment viewing options

I'd say they're getting enough to eat. Call me insensitive. But she doesn't, to me, look too disabled to have some job. Unless "lazy" is now a disability.
I'm ready for someone to tell me I need some perspective, but I know that my taxes are currently paying for someone like that to sit and home and get fat all day.

I was reflecting on this as I was driving home this evening, and I thought I'd share this from you.
Southeastern Michigan is a very special place. Outside the boundaries of Detroit proper, SE Michigan is actually quite an affluent metropolitan area; at one point Oakland county was rated the 4th richest county in the nation. The bread and butter of this area was the "engineer's family": the 40-50 year olds in the 90's were pulling down 60-120K with the Big 3 or one of the many suppliers. Outside of the that you had the Fortune 500 footprint providing support for verything in the area. In terms of capital flow it wasn't even close, the automotive's were bringing in the biggest share of capital INTO the state.
Today as I was driving and was passing row after row of subdivisions with houses ranging in the 300-500K range. Farmington Hills, Bloomfield, B-Hills, Birmingham - you're looking at north of $500K. Here's the thing though. No one is going to be able to actually purchase these houses in the next 10-15 years. The spigot has completely run dry. There is no where near the amount of job creation necessary to sustain this for more than 10+ more years. I strongly believe that the entire area is living on borrowed time. I could extend this post for another 5+ pages, but my point is that Southeast Michigan will never reclaim its prior economic affluence in my lifetime. Ever. Irrespective of who or what is to blame, this is the reality I perceive.

Housing prices aren't set in stone. If there aren't enough people to pay $500,000 for a house, then the price will go down until it reaches a point at which enough people will buy. That's bad for sellers, but good for buyers.

Besides, it's not like there's a law requirng a house to stand forever. Some of those neighborhoods might eventually be bought out, torn down and converted into more modest housing developments to meet market demand. That's what happened along much of Lakeshore Drive in the Grosse Pointes 30-40 years ago. The giant mansions weren't selling, so most were torn down and replaced with regular-sized homes.

It could be worse. (Sorry, I love WV as a state, but this IS funny ....) From my afternoon paper: Drinking tiki torch fluid is not advised by Kelly Holleran Daily Mail staff CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- More West Virginians are winding up in the emergency room for some weird, warm-weather mishaps: suspected poisoning by tiki torches and glow toys. The West Virginia Poison Center reports that so far this year four people have been treated for drinking the refillable liquid that fuels the tropical-themed torches, popular as patio décor and a favorite for backyard parties.

Are you serious. 40 and has never worked a day in her life. She must suck at interviews!

I feel sorry for people out of work due to layoffs (lower demand, cost cutting measures), but to never have worked at 40 years old. A lot of these people know how to milk the system/government quite well. She could sit home and collect $600 plus $120 in food stamps a month or go and work at McDonalds and make $800 (after taxes) a month. By looking at her (free willy!) the $600 and $120 in food stamps is way better than putting in 40 hours a week for another $80!

Sorry if I sound like an ass. To be 40 and never had a job, I can't imagine. Very determined individual we have here!